The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Is-haq Oloyede, has defended the examination body’s handling of controversies involving hijab-wearing candidates at Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centres, saying many of the incidents were either misunderstood or exaggerated.
Mr Oloyede spoke during a public engagement with Muslims where he addressed recurring allegations that female Muslim candidates were forced to remove their hijabs before entering examination halls.
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In a video shared on Facebook, the registrar said investigations conducted by JAMB showed that none of the affected candidates was ultimately prevented from sitting examinations because of the hijab.
His remarks come amid repeated controversies involving Muslim candidates at Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across the country in recent years, including incidents in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo and Abuja that generated public outrage and prompted responses from JAMB.
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‘Nobody was sent back’
Mr Oloyede said while Muslims should remain vigilant against discrimination, allegations should be verified before being amplified publicly.
He insisted that no centre under JAMB’s supervision had denied candidates access to examinations because they wore hijabs.
“I can say it anywhere that nobody had ever sent anyone back either in Lagos or in Ibadan or even in Ife where this current incident happened, that they sent a person back from going in to do an exam just because she put on a hijab,” he said.
“I just need one person to counter my statement because I am talking from a position of authority and facts.”
Ibadan incident
One of the incidents referenced by the registrar was the controversy at an examination centre in Ibadan, Oyo State, during the 2026 UTME.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported in April that a video circulating online showed a female candidate alleging she was asked to remove her hijab before being allowed into the examination venue.
The incident sparked outrage among social media users, many of whom accused JAMB officials of religious discrimination.
At the time, JAMB reacted by blaming the incident on “overzealous ad-hoc staff” and clarified that the board had no policy prohibiting candidates from wearing hijabs during examinations.
Speaking on the matter again, Mr Oloyede said the problem began when a member of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) stationed at the entrance attempted to supervise screening procedures and wrongly asked a candidate to remove her hijab.
He explained that JAMB’s established procedure allows female officials to conduct body searches on female candidates without requiring them to remove their hijabs.
He noted that he personally visited the centre after the incident and met both the centre owner and NSCDC officials.
He also said the incident was triggered partly because the examination centre bore a Christian name, which heightened suspicion among some candidates and members of the public.
According to him, the centre owner denied authorising such actions and was deeply distressed by the backlash.
He added that the candidate involved was eventually allowed into the examination hall after adjusting the hijab into a scarf.
Abuja and registration controversies
Mr Oloyede also referenced another incident in Abuja, which he described as a misunderstanding rather than discrimination.
According to him, the candidate had been assigned to “Centre 2” but mistakenly reported at “Centre 1”.
“The moment they checked her papers, they told her to go to Centre 2,” he said.
He added that the issue was resolved almost immediately without confrontation.
The registrar’s comments also follow controversies earlier this year during the UTME registration exercise.
In February, reports emerged online alleging that a CBT centre compelled a female candidate to remove her hijab during registration at Afe Babalola University.
JAMB later denied imposing any ban on hijabs and explained that temporary facial exposure during biometric verification was a standard security requirement applicable to all candidates.
The board maintained that candidates were not required to remove hijabs completely and that centres had been instructed to ensure respectful screening procedures.
2024 Lagos controversy
The latest comments also revive memories of a similar controversy during the 2024 UTME in Lagos.
PREMIUM TIMES reported in April that a hijab-wearing candidate alleged she was delayed and harassed by officials at a CBT centre in Ejigbo, Lagos State.
According to reports, the hijab wearing candidate was asked to remove her veil before eventually being allowed into the examination hall.
However, JAMB later clarified that the candidate was not denied entry and completed her examination successfully.
The board also said the issue occurred during security screening before accreditation commenced and insisted that the candidate did not lose examination time.
It also reiterated that there was no ban on hijabs at UTME centres and warned against misinformation capable of inciting religious tensions.
Covenant University case
Mr Oloyede also revisited the controversy involving Covenant University during the 2023 mock UTME exercise.
Speaking on the matter, he said JAMB later discovered that the officials responsible for the action were not authorised personnel.
He added that JAMB withdrew the licence of those involved immediately after investigations.
He also recalled appearing on a television programme alongside the university’s vice-chancellor to publicly address the matter.
READ ALSO: UTME 2026: JAMB reacts to Ibadan hijab incident, blames ‘overzealous’ ad-hoc staff
Warning against discrimination
Beyond the individual incidents, Mr Oloyede warned against spreading unverified claims capable of worsening religious divisions in the country.
He said exaggeration and misinformation risk damaging long-standing relationships between Christians and Muslims.
“We must not lie against another person or defame another person unjustly because Islam does not give room for such.”
He welcomed the growing willingness among Muslims to speak out whenever they perceive injustice.
“At least we are voicing out and that shows that if there is any injustice that we are facing, we are able to let the world know,” he said.
